Trees and forests are a lifeline for humans as well as the survival of life on Earth. The increasing threats posed by Global Warming has made it incumbent upon people across the world to plant more trees while also preventing the existing ones from being cut off.?
Countries across the globe are making numerous attempts on this front. Cutting down of forests have been banned in many countries while others are on their way of implementing legislation to curb the same.?
India, a country that has lived in close harmony with nature since time immemorial, is no different in this regard and has shown several concrete steps to protect its green cover in recent years.?
Now, it has been revealed that the total tree and forest cover in the country increased by 5,188 square kilometres in the last two years. The data was released in the India State of Forest Report 2019 by Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Monday.
While releasing the report, Javadekar said that there is an increase of 42.6 million tonnes in the carbon stock of the country as compared to the last assessment of 2017.
"This report gives us confidence that we are on track to achieve our Paris Agreement goals," he said.
He also said that the current assessment shows a decrease of forest cover to the extent of 765 sq km (0.45 per cent) in northeast India region.
Except for Assam and Tripura, all states in the region show a decrease in forest cover.
The mangrove cover in the country has increased by 54 sq km (1.10 per cent) as compared to the previous assessment, he said.
Although the report points to an increase in the forest cover, it is worth pointing out that people had come out in large numbers in Mumbai earlier this year to protest against the proposed chopping off of trees for the construction of a metro shed.?
The move was widely criticised but despite the public outrage, trees were chopped off in large numbers. India has come to face alarming threats of global warming and according to many estimates, it must increase its forest cover while protecting the green cover in existence today.?
The environment Ministry and pro-environment groups, as well as activists and environmentalist, need to come together and speak in one voice when it comes to saving the environment.??